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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26485792">My Life in Your Hands</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronWoman359/pseuds/IronWoman359'>IronWoman359</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>IronWoman359's Bad Things Happen Bingo [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo, Fluff and Humor, Gen, It's more like, Kidnapping, Miscommunication, Prompt: tied to a pole, don't let the first half decieve you this is funny, idk if i can call this hurt/comfort to be honest, maybe not in the way you'd think, the setup of whump but with the punchline of a romcom, there we go we'll go with that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:00:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26485792</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronWoman359/pseuds/IronWoman359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If you were to ask Roman how he thought he was going to die, he probably wouldn’t have answered “kidnapped by cultists and sacrificed in an evil ritual.” And yet, here he was, bound and gagged and being dragged through the woods by hooded figures to gods knew where.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>IronWoman359's Bad Things Happen Bingo [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>My Life in Your Hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If you were to ask Roman how he thought he was going to die, he probably wouldn’t have answered “kidnapped by cultists and sacrificed in an evil ritual.” And yet, here he was, bound and gagged and being dragged through the woods by hooded figures to gods knew where. He struggled as much as he could, but the ropes wrapped around his wrists and ankles were too tight and wouldn’t budge. He decided to take a page out of his brother’s book and started shouting curses and obscenities at the cultists, but it didn’t take long for one of the ones carrying him to wrestle a gag into his mouth, silencing his cries of defiance. </p>
<p>The party came upon a clearing in the woods, and Roman caught a glimpse of an intricately carved pole standing in the center before one of the cultists hit him on the side of his head with their staff and the world spun around him. He did not quite fall unconscious, and was vaguely aware of his body being maneuvered, but even as his mind screamed at him to struggle, to do <em>something</em>, he remained limp and compliant in his assailant’s grasp. </p>
<p>When he came back to himself, he was standing with his arms tied around the back of the pole, and more rope at his ankles, knees, and chest keeping him upright and unable to move. The cultists had backed away and were standing around him in a circle with their arms raised, and one wearing slightly fancier robes than the rest stepped forward to face Roman. </p>
<p>He began chanting something in a language Roman didn’t understand, with the other cultists occasionally echoing his words, then suddenly one of them was at Roman’s side, pulling a blindfold over his eyes. He made a noise of protest and tried to lean away, but the cultist just grabbed his chin and held him still. </p>
<p>“You are not worthy to look upon the divine, maggot,” the man hissed. “Be grateful that you have been chosen for this blessing.” </p>
<p>A few more more incantations were chanted, then Roman heard the sound of footsteps retreating back into the forest. The part where Roman actually died a horrible gruesome death was apparently something they didn’t need to be present for. The moment they were gone, Roman began struggling again, straining fruitlessly against the ropes, but it wasn’t long before he sagged in defeat. The ropes were simply tied too tight; there was nothing he could do now but wait for his inevitable end to arrive. He tried to take the time he had left to prepare himself, but the trouble was, he didn’t actually know <em>what</em> he was being sacrificed to. A vicious beast? A vengeful god? How could he prepare himself when he didn’t even know what was coming for him? </p>
<p>Unbidden, gruesome possibilities of how he would die flooded his mind, and he shook his head, trying to clear it. He’d rather spend his last moments thinking of something other than his death. No, he should try and remember the good things that he’d had in his life, like his friends, or his family… </p>
<p>Tears welled unbidden in Roman’s eyes. God, he was never going to see Remus again, and his brother wouldn’t even know what had happened to him.</p>
<p>A twig snapped, shattering the silence that had fallen over the clearing, and Roman flinched. His heart leapt into his mouth, and he tried desperately to stop himself from trembling. This was it. Any second now, and it would all be over.</p>
<p>Cold fingertips brushed against his face and he froze, hardly daring to breathe. His head was tilted to the side, and he tensed up, waiting for the strike of claws or the stab of a sword. Instead, there was a huff that almost sounded annoyed, and the fingertips moved down and...pulled the gag out of his mouth? The blindfold was slipped over his head then, and Roman blinked, getting his first look at whatever had come to claim him.</p>
<p>Standing before him was...an ordinary human. Or at least, he seemed ordinary at first glance. The brown eyes, pale skin, and black hair certainly seemed normal enough, but a closer look at the hooded cloak the man was wearing revealed a detail that made Roman’s stomach turn. Silver thread was embroidered into the hem, swirling around in the shape of unfamiliar letters and runes. </p>
<p>A sorcerer. </p>
<p>Roman’s eyes widened, and his heart began pounding furiously in his chest. He honestly would have preferred a wild beast, at least then his death would have been over in a few minutes at most. But a sorcerer could want any number of things with a human victim, and death was probably the kindest fate that Roman could ask for now. </p>
<p>“Just great,” the sorcerer said, though Roman wasn’t sure he was the one being spoken to; it sounded almost as though the man were mumbling to himself. “Why on earth does this keep happening?” </p>
<p>He shook his head, then pulled a long, silver knife from a sheath on his belt, and Roman broke. </p>
<p>“P-please,” he choked out, and the sorcerer paused, raising an eyebrow. “Just...just kill me quickly.” </p>
<p>“....sorry?” </p>
<p>“End it quickly,” Roman pleaded, hating how weak he sounded, but knowing he had no other choice. “I will accept death with grace and dignity, if you only would–” </p>
<p>“Uh, I don’t want to kill you,” the sorcerer interrupted. “So you can go ahead and calm down now.” </p>
<p>Roman glowered at him.</p>
<p>“Then kill me anyway,” he spat. “I’d rather die here than be forced to live as...as your servant or pet or whatever it is you want.” </p>
<p>“All I really want is you out of my hair as fast as possible,” the sorcerer said, folding his arms and frowning. “Are you saying you <em>want</em> me to kill you to make that happen? Because I was just going to cut you loose and send you on your way, but if you’d rather I run you through–” </p>
<p>“Wait…what?”  </p>
<p>“I said if you’d rather I run you through with my dagger I can, but–”</p>
<p>“You were...just going to let me go?”</p>
<p>The sorcerer rolled his eyes. </p>
<p>“Yes, obviously.” </p>
<p>Roman stared at him, dumbfounded, and the sorcerer stared back. </p>
<p>“That…was not obvious,” Roman eventually said, nodding towards the ropes that still held him firmly in place. </p>
<p>“Look, if I knew how to get those maniacs to stop kidnapping people and tying them up in the woods for me, you wouldn’t even be here right now,” the man said. He brushed his bangs away from his eyes, but they nearly immediately fell back into the same position, and he scowled.</p>
<p>“Why would they even want to sacrifice humans to you?” Roman asked carefully, and the sorcerer sighed. </p>
<p>“I’m a storm mage,” he explained. “Thunder and lightning and stuff like that...I live in a cave that lies deeper in these woods. I was looking for somewhere away from too many people, so I could practice my magic in peace. Unfortunately, I was discovered...by people who apparently think I’m some sort of elemental god. You’re the fourth person they’ve tried ‘sacrificing’ to me...though you’re the first that’s been conscious when I found you. I’ve just been cutting them loose and slipping away before they wake up.” </p>
<p>“So...what happens now?” Roman asked, and the sorcerer smirked.</p>
<p>“Well, I can either cut you loose or stab you to death, whichever you prefer.” </p>
<p>“The first please,” Roman said quickly.  </p>
<p>“You sure? You were pretty eager for me to kill you a second ago.” </p>
<p>“Come on, man, my limbs are going numb,” Roman pleaded, and the sorcerer shrugged. </p>
<p>“Have it your way,” he said, stepping forward with the dagger. Roman flinched, still half expecting the cold blade to slide in between his ribs, but the sorcerer held true to his word and the ropes around his chest and legs fell harmlessly away. </p>
<p>“Hold still,” the man said, bending over briefly to cut the rope around Roman’s ankles, then standing and cutting Roman’s wrists free. </p>
<p>Roman brought his arms up to his chest, hissing in pain as he rubbed where the rope had dug into his skin. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” he said sincerely, looking up and shooting the sorcerer a small smile. </p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” the man answered, sliding his dagger back into its sheath. “Have a good rest of your life.” </p>
<p>He turned to leave, but Roman called out before he could get very far. </p>
<p>“Wait!” The sorcerer glanced back, raising an eyebrow, and Roman blushed. “I, um. Don’t exactly know how to get back to the village?” he admitted. “Let alone where to go from there...I’m not really from around here.” </p>
<p>The sorcerer sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. </p>
<p>“Of course they went for a traveler,” he muttered, before shooting Roman a look that looked like it was trying to be a smile, but came out more like a grimace. “Come on then. You can stay at my place tonight and I’ll show you how to get back to the main road in the morning.” </p>
<p>Roman paused, considering his options. Some small part of him hissed that this was a trick, but he’d been literally at this man’s mercy less than two minutes ago; if he’d wanted to do something to him, he could have done so while he was still tied up. Ironically, he would probably be safer with the sorcerer who lived in the middle of the woods than he would back in the town where he’d been taken in the first place.</p>
<p>“I’m Roman,” he said eventually, sticking out his hand with a smile. The sorcerer stared at it for a moment, then took it gingerly, shaking once before letting go. </p>
<p>“Virgil,” he said, and Roman’s smile widened. </p>
<p>“Alright then, Virgil,” he said. “Lead the way.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Who said that Bad Things Happen fics have to be angsty? Me? Certainly not me. (thanks for reading! leave a comment, and if you like tumblr check out my stuff on there @ironwoman359!)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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